1. What is Percentage Difference?

Percentage difference measures how much two numbers differ relative to their average value. It's useful for comparing two values where neither is clearly a reference or "correct" value.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percentage difference formula:

Where:

• \( A \) — First number
• \( B \) — Second number
• \( |A - B| \) — Absolute difference between A and B
• \( \frac{A + B}{2} \) — Average of A and B

Explanation: The formula calculates the absolute difference relative to the average of the two numbers, expressed as a percentage.

3. When to Use Percentage Difference

Details: Percentage difference is ideal when comparing two experimental values, two measurements, or any two numbers where you want to understand their relative difference without designating one as a reference.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter any two numbers (positive or negative). The calculator will determine their percentage difference based on the average of the two values.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is percentage difference different from percentage change?
A: Percentage change compares a new value to an old value (using old value as denominator), while percentage difference compares two values equally (using their average as denominator).

Q2: What does a 0% difference mean?
A: A 0% difference means the two numbers are identical.

Q3: Can I compare more than two numbers?
A: This calculator compares two numbers. For multiple comparisons, you would need to calculate pairwise differences.

Q4: What's the maximum possible percentage difference?
A: Theoretically unlimited, but approaches 200% as one number approaches zero while the other remains finite.

Q5: How should I interpret percentage differences?
A: Interpretation depends on context. In some fields, even small differences may be significant, while in others, larger differences may be acceptable.